On Friday 1st July, we held our last ever zoom Friday Music Club. It was a joyful occasion, tinged with a bit of sadness. We started the group as part of our response to the Covid pandemic in November 2020, thinking it would only last for a few weeks. But it was so popular, we ended up running for over a year and a half and had 77 Friday evenings of musical fun!
It was important for us at Lewisham Speaking Up to support people with learning disabilities through the isolation caused by Covid. Isolation and loneliness is a serious problem for many people with learning disabilities in general and Covid just made that worse. So, whilst we don’t normally run purely social activities, we made an exception during this difficult time.
The Friday Music Club proved on of our most popular groups on zoom, with over 1600 attendances from around 90 people with learning disabilities. Here are some of the things people said about the group:
‘🎵 Sad times that the music group is ending for good, but think of the good times.’
‘Thank u for the music. It is sad that is finished 😢’
‘It has indeed been a lifeline during covid and afterwards….’
‘Thank you guys for all the Friday music.’
‘I have enjoyed this every Friday that I have attended.’
‘Thank you for doing music group, it’s really fun and it has kept me busy on my Friday afternoons. I will miss it, I hope it comes back for Christmas, Easter and summer and winter for a day or 2.’
I would really, really like the music group to come back as quickly as possible back again, sooo miss it!!!! It keeps you going in life, good for mind body and soul. Bring it back again please 😢
‘Thank you for such a wonderful group lots of fun and memories 👍’
‘Hi all just wanted to say a big thank you for making V’s Friday afternoons a pleasurable one, she really looked forward to the music club. It’s a shame it had to come to an end. Will it ever start again? Here is wishing everyone all the best. From V and G, as I had a good few dances as well. Well enjoyed by all in my household. Xx
‘Thank You on behalf of all the people we support who have benefited from the Friday music club, it’s a shame its coming to an end but it will be good to get back to partying face to face because now we can! Please pass on this message to all the organisers of this event and for providing people with something to do, at a time when everything was so bleak, it was such a great resource for people.’
We hope to bring back the Friday Music Club for a Christmas Special so watch out for news of that later in the year!
